Bray Matter

1 September 2014

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Rick Cowdery

THE arrival of Alex Bray at Home Park has completed a season-long quest...

...for Pilgrims’ manager John Sheridan.

The 19-year-old Swansea City winger, who has joined Argyle on loan until January, first came to John’s attention when the Swans visited Home Park for a pre-season game, catching the manager’s eye after coming on as a65th-minute substitute.

“He’s a player I’ve liked and I’ve asked the question about his availability since that game” said John. “He’s young and he looked really bright when he came on in that game, and one or two people tell me really good things about him.”

Alex, Bath-born and Welsh qualified, will fulfil a role that John has publicly targeted for several weeks

He said: “He’s in a position that I’ve been looking for – a right-sided player, who’s very good at going forward and attacking.

“He’ll come in and fit into the way we want to play, and that’s why I brought him in. I like young players who are keen to go out and play football and Alex is really keen to come and try to get some football under his belt.

“He’s attack-minded, and I want him to be attack-minded. Wingers nowadays have a defensive role but I think he’s just got that thing in his game where he wants to take a full-back on. I like those players who can get you 20-30 yards up the pitch quickly. Directness and willingness to get at his full-back - that’s what I really like about him

“It’s a bit of a change for him, coming to Plymouth; the physical side and so on. He’s playing at Swansea – one of the best footballing teams in the Premier League – so it will be a little bit different for him, but it will do him the world of good and I obviously appreciate Swansea letting us have him.”

Alex will meet his new team-mates for the first time on Tuesday morning and will be on the Argyle team coach when it departs for Luton on Friday

“He’ll get a couple of days under his belt before we travel and he’ll be involved,” said John. “I have brought him in to be involved in the first team.

“It’s always difficult, no matter who you are, when you go to a new place and you don’t know anyone. But we’ve got a good group and good dressing-room and I’m sure they will look after him.”